take long time

USAGE SUMMARY

Sentence The phrase "take long time" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to describe the fact that a certain activity will take a significant amount of time or will last a long period of time. For example, "Planning a wedding can take a long time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

36 human-written examples

"It will take long time to solve the problem because the current system is a hotbed for corruption," he said.

The New Yorker

Am, like, based on my research it will take long time and not really be worth it.

The New Yorker

Unfortunately, due to various reasons, to achieve the balance between saving and investment may take long time.

The Economist

Therefore, the digital system should shorten the detection time or decrease the coverage for the failures that take long time to be detected.

Annals of Nuclear Energy

Urban signal timing is a non-convex problem and finding an optimal solution for not very small and simple networks may take long time, wherever possible.

Transportation Research Procedia

The results will be help to set design criteria for the pressure boundary and it will take long time but an appropriate safety system would be introduced.

Nuclear Engineering and Design

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

It takes long time to change.

The Guardian

However, it usually takes long time to encode.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Make it take a long time.

WikiHow

May take a long time to choose.

WikiHow

Instruments take a long time to learn.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When estimating project timelines, use "take long time" to acknowledge potential delays or complexities that could extend the duration.

Common error

Avoid using "take long time" without specifying the reason. Briefly explain what factors contribute to the extended duration for better clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "take long time" functions as a predicate in sentences, describing the duration required for an action or process. Ludwig shows that this phrase is used across various contexts to indicate that something requires a significant amount of time to complete.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "take long time" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to express that something requires a significant duration. Ludwig AI indicates that it is commonly used across various contexts, including science, news, and general discussions. While perfectly acceptable, more formal alternatives might be preferred in some settings. When using "take long time", consider specifying the factors that contribute to the extended duration for enhanced clarity. As per Ludwig's examples, while both "take a long time" and "take long time" are common, the former is generally considered more formal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

require a significant amount of time

Emphasizes the substantial duration needed, replacing "take" with "require" and "long time" with "significant amount of time".

be a lengthy process

Focuses on the extended nature of the process, using "lengthy" instead of "long".

demand considerable time

Highlights the need for a notable time investment, substituting "take" with "demand" and "long time" with "considerable time".

extend over a protracted period

Stresses the duration and drawn-out nature of the activity. It replaces the core phrase with a more formal variant.

consume a lot of time

Focuses on the time being used up, replacing "take" with "consume" and "long time" with "a lot of time".

necessitate an extended duration

Emphasizes the necessity of a long timeframe, replacing "take" with "necessitate" and "long time" with "extended duration".

involve a time-consuming procedure

Highlights that the procedure is time-intensive, replacing the core phrase with a more descriptive alternative.

last for an extended period

Focuses on the duration of the activity, replacing "take" with "last" and "long time" with "extended period".

stretch out over time

Emphasizes the gradual unfolding of something over a significant duration, providing a more visual alternative.

go on for quite a while

Offers a more informal way to express that something will last a significant duration.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "take long time"?

You can use alternatives like "require a significant amount of time", "be a lengthy process", or "demand considerable time" depending on the context.

How can I use "take long time" in a sentence?

You can use "take long time" to describe activities or processes that require a significant duration, such as "The project will take long time to complete" or "Recovery from the injury will take long time".

Is it better to say "take a long time" or "take long time"?

While both phrases are understandable, "take a long time" is generally preferred in formal writing. However, "take long time" is also common and acceptable in many contexts.

What does it mean when something "takes long time"?

When something "takes long time", it means that the activity or process requires a significant duration to complete or occur.